


Of Coffee, Beards, and Braids

by allourheroes



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Braids, Coffee, Hangover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-13
Updated: 2013-12-13
Packaged: 2018-01-04 13:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allourheroes/pseuds/allourheroes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gimli was busy irrationally hating the tall man in front of him in the coffee shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Coffee, Beards, and Braids

**Author's Note:**

  * For [impalafortrenchcoats](https://archiveofourown.org/users/impalafortrenchcoats/gifts).



> For her birthday. She wanted Gimli/Legolas. She always wants Gimli/Legolas. (She also always wants coffee.)

Gimli glares at the back of the tall man in front of him. Was it even a man? That long, blonde hair, the braid tucked behind an ear, might suggest otherwise. He's more hungover than he's been in his life, but he remembers his manliness feeling threatened. He doesn't remember blacking out, but he doesn't remember half of the night, either, so he must've.

His head hurts and he wants coffee, not some tall, perfect-haired something-or-other ordering what was sure to be some sweet (but "non-fat") monstrosity of a beverage before him. Those were precious moments (seconds) he could already be getting his hands on a cup of coffee--just coffee, thank you.

The door chimes and the person glances back. Gimli gets a look at the face--pretty, yes, but definitely male. The man hesitates a second before his eyes focus on Gimli.

Suddenly, the man is turning around in line and considering him thoughtfully. "You were at Aragorn's party last night," he says with a knowing smile.

Gimli hates knowing smiles, but he gets flustered despite himself. "What of it?"

The man isn't taken aback by his attitude, in fact, he laughs, and Gimli turns red in outrage. "Legolas," he says, and it takes Gimli a second to realize that it is the man's name.

Legolas takes a step backwards and turns and Gimli is shocked to find that they are now at the front of the line.

"Two large coffees, please," the man says and before Gimli can decide to be angry about the fact that Legolas is apparently ordering for another person, the blonde has paid and is handing him a cup.

They step to the side and Gimli grumbles out a thanks.

"It is no problem, my friend," Legolas tells him and Gimli wants to know why exactly this guy thinks he can call them friends, but the blonde continues. He points to the braid in his hair, "Thank you for the braid, although it took you nearly an hour and you claimed I moved when you wobbled off your chair." He smiles, "May I see your phone?"

"Why would I let you..." he starts, then shakes his head. "Fine," he gives Legolas the evil eye, "but if you do anything to it..."

Legolas takes the proffered phone, laughs, and hands it back in only a moment. "I'm just giving you my number," he says, and his smile is so flirtatious as he does that Gimli's face heats with something other than anger. "I thought you might've been too sauced last night to type it in right. I hope you don't mind that I've changed the name."

This, for some reason, triggers a horrifying flashback for Gimli of typing something about "pretty" and "hair" and the memory stops there. He clears his throat, "No, that's fine, I s'pose."

Legolas only chuckles, "Text me, alright? I've got class at half-nine, but after?"

Gimli shrugs. This man is way too confident that Gimli is interested in him, and it doesn't help that he _is_. He wouldn't have braided his hair otherwise, embarrassing as it is.

Legolas finally gives him something almost like a frown, "Text me. Promise?" He sounds hopeful and certain and Gimli nods despite also wanting to a fight the guy in some sort of knockdown, drag-out brawl.

Gimli takes a sip from his coffee and hopes somehow it's been tainted by the man's touch. He finds that it actually tastes somehow better than usual. Damn him.

With a glance at his watch (an actual watch, mind you), Legolas sighs. "I must be going," he murmurs, "but I'm glad I ran into you." He adjusts the strap of his bag on his shoulder and pauses, "Next time, you shouldn't challenge me to a drinking contest." He tugs on Gimli's red beard and places a kiss on his nose, leaving the shorter man spluttering in his wake.

Gimli is so annoyed that he texts Legolas almost immediately after he leaves. That'll show him.


End file.
